Aftercare

Aftercare is a series of 10 photographic works exploring the emotional and psychological ideology behind selfcare and wellbeing. Created as a physical embodiment using myself and layers of pink bubble wrap, I enact these gestures through cocooning and containment, encasing the head and body of the figure. This covering alludes to fetishised notions of protection and care, replicating common tropes associated with actions based around aftercare as a period of recovery and healing, through not just a physical action, but including mental health based selfcare ideals in a society with a commercialised response to wellbeing.
The interaction of identical multiple figures allude to the psychological paths and states of being, contained in the one person. These figures can be seen to be both helping and hindering each other as they role play actions of comfort and concern, making connections between mental health and the depictions of care and wellbeing.

Image caption:
Emily Portmann, Aftercare Action One, 2021, Archival Inkjet print 100 x 120cm edition of 3 plus 2AP